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8/29 — Will your candidate of choice make it to general elections?
Several Ramsey County candidates to face off in primaries
Seats being contested in primary races in Ramsey County are as follows:
• U.S. senator
• State representatives in Districts 53A, 54B, 55A, 64A and 66B
• County commissioners in Districts 1, 2 and 7
• Supreme Court associate justice, Seats 3 and 4
• Second judicial district court seat
The Shoreview Press limited its profiles to candidates for county commissioner and state representative running for slots in territories covered by the Press. For more information about candidates, log on to www.presspubs.com.
State representative District 53A (Republican):
- John Kappler, 61, 4280 Brigadoon Drive, Shoreview
Kappler, who was raised in Roseville, earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College and a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University. He teaches mathematics part-time within the business department at Northwestern College. He has served in the Armed Services as a naval officer in technology research and development, and has been vice president of three local corporations. He and his wife Elizabeth have been married for 31 years and have two children, Paul, 29, and Gretchen, 26, both of whom attended Mounds View schools.
He decided to run for the seat because “My life and private sector business experiences have provided me with the wherewithal and motivation for public service. We need to have a Legislature of private citizens seeking to serve, not professional politicians advancing their careers. After many friends urged me to run, I was honored to receive official party endorsement from the record number of people who attended their Republican caucuses and the convention in our district this year.”
He said supporters have told him that he should run because of “my service to country in time of war, my education, my private sector business experience, my efforts locally and statewide to improve the focus of public education, my ability to get along with people, and the firm foundation upon which my values rest.”
He said the three biggest challenges facing District 53A are “resolving the conflict between those who constantly demand more from government and those who seek to protect the just fruits of their labors, maintaining high quality schools without placing even more burdens upon our taxpayers, and developing a free and enduring economic climate that will allow our families and communities to thrive.”
If elected, Kappler’s top two goals are “to protect the inalienable rights with which we have been endowed, and to promote calm common sense and the application of responsible business-like principles amid unreasoned partisan alarmism and special interests.”
- Madelyn “Mady” Reiter, 4279 Highland Drive, Shoreview
Reiter lived in Little Canada until moving to Shoreview in 1985. She attended a now-defunct business college to study accounting and has also earned other college credits. She worked for Burlington Northern Railroad Company for 26 years and is now an insurance agent/agency partner for Maple Leaf Insurance Agency. She and her husband Roger have been married for 42 years and have two adult children.
She said she decided to run for election this year because “there is a better way to govern. As a former Minnesota State Senator, I know that tax increases and increased spending results in more government handling and growth. We must reduce spending. We must not increase taxes and we should reverse the gas tax increase. Other increases recently implemented should be reversed. We must reform funding formulas. All programs should be re-evaluated to ensure they are still needed. Each item mentioned will reduce the cost of government and will return respect to the taxpayers who actually work and pay taxes. No more redistribution of money (wealth) from those who earn money to those who want money, but do not want to work.”
Asked what may make her different as a candidate, she pointed to her experience (including five years on the Shoreview City Council and six years in the Minnesota Senate), her success, her work on several transportation projects, and her tenacity.
Reiter said the biggest challenges facing District 53A are the legislation passed in 2007 and 2008 that increased taxes, the overall increased spending, and certain programs and policies that are hurting Minnesota business and preventing job growth.
Her two top goals if elected: reduce/roll back tax increases and reduce state spending.
Kappler or Reiter will run against Paul Gardner, DFL, in general elections
- Paul Gardner, 40, 890 Dave Avenue, Shoreview
Gardner was Born in Glen Cove, N.Y., and raised in McLean, Va. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College in Iowa and received his Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Minnesota. He was the executive director of the Recycling Association of Minnesota from 1997 to 2006 until elected state representative.
He and his wife Michelle have been married for 16 years and have two children, 7 and 10, who both attend Mounds View public schools.
Gardner said he decided to run for re-election because: “Our state took a big step forward this year with the passage of the comprehensive transportation bill, but there are still many needs to address. I hope to continue our good work by: 1) Increasing labor skills through effective education and retraining 2) Reducing the per capita cost of health care while maintaining quality and covering all Minnesotans 3) Maintaining and expanding our transportation and telecommunications infrastructure; 4) Preserving the natural resources on which our economic growth depends.”
He said his eagerness in meeting the challenges that face Minnesota in education, health care, infrastructure and the environment may set him apart from the other candidates. The alternative is to do nothing, he said.
For Gardner, the biggest challenges facing District 53A this year are the school district’s need for predictable and consistent funding in order to help all students meet expectations and a plan for local residents that can relieve pressure on health care costs and property taxes. On a more general level, he said, voters are telling him they feel left out of the process because of the involvement of single-issue groups and partisanship. Through his efforts to bring transparency to government and refusing all special-interest campaign funding, he said, he hopes to restore their faith.
If he is re-elected, he said his top two goals would be working with his colleagues to fix education finance issues specific to his districts, including changing levy equalization factors, accounting for declining enrollment and increasing the energy security. He said he’d drive those efforts through his work on the Energy Policy & Finance Committee.
State representative District 54B (Republican):
- Tom Effertz, 4312 Greenhaven Court, Vadnais Heights
A design consultant for DuBois Conservatories, Tom Effertz attended White Bear Lake Area High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I was asked to run this year because as a party we have seen far too many Republicans in name only,” he said. “What makes me different than other candidates is my dedication to conservative ideals.”
Those ideals, he said, include low taxes, quality education, fewer business regulations and controlling immigration.
The current government, he said, is not efficient. He pledges to fight against spending on items such as “pork-barrel” projects and “unreliable and expensive” energy sources.
“I believe in our free market system and cost effective government spending. I am not only looking to keep government spending within its means, but also looking for effective solutions that require the least amount of effort and funding to our problems.
“The government has gotten far too large and wasteful with our taxes. I stand for giving the people the responsibility to run their lives and maintain smarter spending with a focus on necessities.”
High taxes and regulations have weakened the business climate and forced companies out of the state, he said. Illegal immigration, he added, gives companies unfair labor advantages. He’d levy large penalties to companies which employ illegal workers and would more strictly enforce deportation laws.
The public education system, he said, doesn’t adequately prepare students for college. More education funding isn’t the solution, he said. He would improve school performance through competition — merit pay for teachers and tax deductions for private school attendance.
- Julie Johnson, 4354 Rustic Place, Shoreview
A former pharmacist and owner of Blomberg Pharmacy in Falcon Heights, Julie Johnson is executive director and CEO of the Minnesota Pharmacists Association. She holds Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Minnesota. Her husband, Tim Gallagher, is also a pharmacist and they have two children.
“I ... seek to bring my experience in health care as a pharmacist and as a business owner to the group of decision makers at our capitol,” Johnson said. “As we struggle to maintain quality education for our children, affordable health care, and to preserve the environment we enjoy, hard-working people need to gather the facts and make rational decisions for our citizens, our children and our grandchildren.”
She said she has no previous political experience, but her seven years leading the nonprofit Pharmacists Association has given her a first-hand understanding of the legislative process.
Johnson’s priorities include reducing the tax burden for individuals and small businesses. She opposes any new taxes or fees, she said, pointing out the state has some of the highest taxes in the country.
On education, Johnson advocates for more accountability and funding at “an appropriate level, commensurate with performance and outcomes.”
Health care also is a top priority and she said she’ll advocate for a free-market health care system with more consumer choices and provider competition.
“I would be a strong voice for the district in assuring responsible spending of tax dollars, guiding much needed health care reform which insures broader patient choice, transparent operations and sustainable systems of coordinated care,” she said. “We need to stop using tax increases as an answer to a system that needs responsible change and reform.”
Effertz or Johnson will run against Bev Scalze and Paul Gaston in general elections.
- Bev Scalze, 969 Beam Ave., Little Canada
Scalze has served in the House since 2004. She is owner of Hoffman Corner Heating & Air Conditioning with her husband, Bob. They have two grown children. She holds an Associate of Art degree from Century College and College of Visual Arts in St. Paul and has worked for many years as a wildlife artist.
“... I feel that I have the knowledge and experience at the Capitol to work for the suburban interests of my district,” she said. “I have worked across party lines on many issues, and this bipartisan cooperation reflects the district that I represent. I know how to work with others to “get the job done" in the most efficient, effective way possible, assisting local governments in working with state government.”
Prior to her legislative service, she served many years on the Little Canada City Council and was president of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments.
Major issues, she said, include poor health care access, poor transportation and inadequate education funding. Pharmaceutical and insurance interests control health care access and are bankrupting many Minnesotans, she said. The north suburbs are undeserved by transit and have inadequate infrastructure, she also said, touting her work to obtain more Park & Ride lots and obtaining $2 million for the Rice Street Bridge over Highway 36. On education, she said Increased diversity, special needs students and fuel and health insurance costs “has severely impacted the funding that goes to our classrooms.”
If re-elected, she promises to “work in a bipartisan manner to balance the projected budget deficit in this budget year.” She also is working for legislative reforms to prevent last-minute legislative action that doesn’t go through the regular committee process with public testimony and debate.
“We need more order and transparency in our government,” she said.
- Paul Gaston, 3925 Woodview Court, Vadnais Heights
A mediator and arbitrator, Paul Gaston is a two-term Vadnais Heights City Councilman. He holds a Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation administration and adaptive physical education, and a graduate degree in rehabilitation management from the University of Wisconsin; civil court mediator/arbitrator certification from Hamline University Law School and a Mini-Master of Business Administration in small business management from St. Thomas University. He’s married to Judith Gaston, a faculty and staff member at the University of Minnesota.
“I decided to pursue the (54B) office because I understand the needs of our district and because we need a well-prepared, centrist, enthusiastic, respected leader,” Gaston said. “I have a record of stability, collaboration, and outcomes. I am not owned by any big business, like the pharmaceutical industry, and am a can-do individual.”
Gaston, whose council seat is up for election this year, said he has self-imposed a two-term limit and would do the same if elected to the House, “in an effort to model responsible governance, coming in prepared, doing well, and turning over the reins to new leadership.”
Along with his council experience, he touts his experience as a small business owner and service on a number of professional and service organizations.
His priorities include providing affordable health care and housing while “transitioning through the current economic crisis by paying down debt and taking measures to assure citizen, community, and state solvency, as well as a sustainable business environment.”
More equitable transportation funding is another priority,” he said.
“We need a strong advocate for improved transportation in the Northeast Metro including, but not limited to, park and ride facilities; road/related infrastructure expansion and maintenance; efficient bus service; and other new forms of mobility,” he said.
County commissioner District 1 (vote for two):
-Jim Schottmuller, _____ Ski Hill, North Oaks
Schottmuller, 37, has been married to his wife Angie for eight years. They have no children. He attended Roseville public schools, Stillwater High School and Bethel College.
During the campaign, he’s working part-time as a self-employed finish carpenter. Prior to the campaign, he worked in the real estate and property management industry and has several years of experience in management, finance, and sales.
“Between the self-approved 25 percent pay increase and plans to raise taxes (again) even though property tax revenue has increased over 20 percent since 2006, my frustration and disappointment with our current representation reached its limit,” Schottmuller said of his reasons for running. “I decided to run in hopes of restoring fiscal responsibility to the board and providing an improved means for residents to collaborate with their local government.”
In contract to his opponents, Jim commented, "I have 20 years' experience in the business world, not in government where inefficiency is allowed to rein free. Since managing the county's pocketbook is a core commissioner function, my business finance background and education will be beneficial to the board. (My opponents have a police science background, working in the public sector for approximately 30 years.)"
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 1 today, he said :
1. Financial accountability
2. Transferred financial responsibility from state to county
3. Government-run entities competing with private industries
His top goals if elected would be:
1. Repeal the 2007 pay raise
2. Hold the line on property tax increases and improve resident involvement
- Tony Bennett, 5787 Prairie Ridge Drive, Shoreview.
Bennett, 68, is originally from St. Paul and moved to Shoreview in 1975.
Bennett graduated from Johnson High school and went on to attend both the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas where he studied business.
Bennett has been married to his wife Pat for 46 years and they have three adult children, all of whom attended public school in the Mounds View School district. Bennett also has nine grandchildren ranging from 23 to six years old.
Bennett works full-time as Ramsey County Commissioner for District One, having been elected to that post in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
“I enjoy helping people and working with them to solve problems,” he said as to why he is running again. “I have been willing to serve my community in a leadership role, whether as a police officer, a state legislator, or as the current county commissioner for District One.”
“There are many county projects that I hope to see completed in the next few years. It is the projects and the people that made my decision to run for re-election.”
Bennett said what makes him different than other candidates is experience. “I have over 30 years of law enforcement experience, 26 years as a St. Paul Policeman and four years as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Minnesota. I also served 12 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives,” he said. “My tenure on the county board gives me a depth of knowledge about county government, both local and national, and how it operates, which is vital to getting things done.”
Bennett was asked to list the three biggest challenges in District One:
1. Budget constraints
2. The state imposed levy limits on local and county government
3. The state and federal unfunded mandates.
Bennett’s top two goals if re-elected are:
1. To continue to keep the county’s spending in check and to continue to keep any levy increase to a bare minimum; and
2. To continue maintaining the very best services to my constituents. Listening to people and helping them solve their problems is the most important service my office can render.
- Steve Lydon, 769 Parkside Drive, Vadnais Heights
Lydon, 49, is originally from North St. Paul. He earned an associate degree in law enforcement from Inver Hills Community College, a bachelor’s degree in police science from St. Mary’s University and a “mini’ Masters Degree in Public Administration from St. Thomas.
Lydon is divorced with five adult children ages 27, 26, 25, 21 and 20, all of whom attended White Bear Lake public schools.
Lydon works full time as director of special operations with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department.
“I will work to restore fiscal responsibility to the Ramsey County Board, which has significantly increased property taxes in the past few years,” Lydon said as a reason he decided to run. “I was shocked when the County Board voted to increase their own salaries from $63,948 to $80,000.”
Lydon said what may make him different as a candidate is that he has risen up through the ranks of the Department of Corrections holding a variety of positions that have lent themselves to his development as a leader in the community.
“As an associate warden of the Rush City Correctional Facility I oversaw the completion of the facility construction as well as the hiring, training and managing of the staff to operate the facility,” he said.
Lydon also created the Office of Special Investigation and served as the first director and chief law enforcement officer of the State Fugitive Apprehension Unit.
Asked to list the three biggest challenges to his district, he said:
1. “Property tax revenue has increased over 20 percent in the past two years, yet the board plans another 5 percent increase in 2009.”
2. “I will work closely with the Sheriff’s Department to develop crime prevention programs for our youth.”
3. Mortgage foreclosure crisis. “I want to create a mortgage broker fraud investigative unit in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.”
If elected, Lydon said his top two goals would be:
1. “My first motion will be to rescind the 25 percent salary increase the current board gave themselves.”
2. “I will take immediate steps to harden Ramsey County residents as targets of fraudulent mortgage practices.”
The Press also profiled the following candidates running in general elections:
State representative District 50B:
- Kate Knuth, 2189 Mississippi Circle, New Brighton.
Knuth, 27, was born and raised in New Brighton. She graduated from Irondale High School and holds a B.A. in biology and philosophy from the University of Chicago, studied via a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Oslo and earned an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from Oxford University. She is unmarried and has no children.
She said her main work now is being state representative.
“I am also an environmental educator, mainly at the university level,” she said.
Knuth said she’s running for re-election because she believes Minnesota needs elected leaders who will work with their communities to focus on the right priorities and smart investments, to make sure Minnesota remains safe, economically strong, and a place where individuals and businesses find great opportunity.
“I will continue to lead toward this vision,” she said. “I bring deep roots in the community combined with a perspective based on strong educational and professional experience on some of our most pressing challenges, particularly energy and the environment.”
Asked to list some of the biggest challenges in District 50B today, she said the district is going through several redevelopment projects which promise great opportunities, but also involve challenges. The district also shares many challenges with the wider metro community, she said.
The challenges include making the right investments in education and transportation, she said, to ensure economic viability as well as maintaining the livability of our communities through fair property taxes and investments in local public safety and parks and recreation.
Her top two goals if re-elected:
1. Be a partner in making local redevelopment efforts work well for the community, as well as build a strong, new energy economy through smart policy and investments in education, research, and economic development.
2. Create opportunity locally and statewide that will make the energy system, families and retirees more secure.
- Lori Grivna, 5960 Ridge Creek Road, Shoreview
Grivna, 48, is originally from Coon Rapids. She earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota. She has been married for almost 25 years to her husband, Walter. They have two sons, 22 and 18; both are graduates of Mounds View High School.
Grivna is currently a homemaker and a community volunteer.
“It’s time to replace politicians who represent nothing but special interests with people whose only special interest group is their taxpaying neighbors,” Grivna said, regarding her reasons for running. “I want to move the Legislature in a positive, new direction that better respects taxpayers, ensuring that they are getting value and results for the earned money taken out of their budget for government programs.”
Grivna said what may make her different than other candidates is her background of work experience in the private and public sector, her life experience of running a family household and over 20 years of community involvement.
“I believe that improving the quality of life for our district residents will happen without expansive tax and spend growth in government programs and regulations,” she said. “I listen to residents and business owners in our area who want their suburban voice to be heard at the Capitol.”
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 50B today, she answered:
1. The negative economic impact of rising food, energy, and other costs on residents and business.
2. Inflated property values and rising property taxes on homeowners and small businesses.
3. Land development, housing, and transportation redevelopment and congestion.
Her top two goals if elected to office are:
1. Provide Minnesotans with a balanced budget based on value and results.
2. Create a more competitive economic climate for job providers.
State representative District 53B
- Carol McFarlane, 2237 Southwood Drive, White Bear Lake.
McFarlane, 57, is originally from Kansas. She’s a graduate of White Bear Lake High School and Lakewood State Community College.
She has been married to her husband Pat for 36 years and together they have three grown children and three grandchildren. All have attended or are attending White Bear Lake Schools.
McFarlane is a legislator, vice President and treasurer of Venburg Tire Co. and community volunteer.
She decided to run again because she wants to continue serving her community at the state level. “My first term has given me a broad base of experience and knowledge of the legislative process, and I've developed important relationships statewide,” she said. “This experience, along with my skill as a consensus builder, makes me an effective representative for our district.”
What makes McFarlane different from other candidates is what she calls a passion for and long history of involvement in her local community. “Through our family business and over 25 years of volunteering for community organizations, I have thoroughly learned the needs and aspirations of this community. I have been elected twice to the White Bear Lake School Board and served in leadership positions on numerous boards and committees.”
McFarlane was asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 53B. Her response:
1. Jobs and the economy
2. Education/workforce development
3. Quality of life issues (including health care, transportation (gas prices). “All are interrelated and we need to find common sense, long-term solutions that are sustainable in the future.”
If re-elected McFarlane’s top two goals would be:
1. Continue to listen and be a voice for the community
2. Focus on jobs and the economy. “I will continue working for opportunities to attract, develop and retain businesses to help Minnesota succeed in the competitive global economy,” she said.
- Chris Knopf, 2 Nord Circle, North Oaks
Knopf, 46, is originally from Ohio. He graduated from Michigan State University, Georgetown University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
He has been married to his wife Audrey for 17 years; they have three children, ages 6, 13 and 14. He is a lawyer currently serving as a regional manager for the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit land conservation organization.
When deciding whether to run, Knopf said he asked himself, “What can I do to ensure that my three young children will want to stay in Minnesota and raise their children?
“We are at an important crossroads,” he said. “I am running to address the challenges in education, transportation, the economy, health care, and the environment.”
Knopf said his leadership and vision may separate him from other candidates.
“I will take responsibility to address the challenges that face Minnesota,” he said. “I will bring a fresh perspective and provide common sense bipartisan solutions for improving our roads and bridges, fixing public education, protecting our lakes and natural environment, and addressing the lack of affordable health care.”
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in district 53B today, he answered:
1. Excellence in education and property tax relief. Lack of state funding has forced the White Bear Area School District to rely more heavily on property taxes and has hurt the quality of education.
2. Transportation, jobs and the economy; high prices are pinching families’ budgets and roads and bridges are badly in need of repair.
3. Protecting health and the environment; many people lack affordable health care and we need to do a better job of protecting our lakes and natural environment.
If elected Knopf said his top two goals would be:
1. “I will work to provide fair state funding for our local schools and make college education more affordable.”
2. “I will support policies to create good jobs based on a well-educated workforce, a healthy and clean environment, and sound transportation infrastructure.”
Seats being contested in primary races in Ramsey County are as follows:
• U.S. senator
• State representatives in Districts 53A, 54B, 55A, 64A and 66B
• County commissioners in Districts 1, 2 and 7
• Supreme Court associate justice, Seats 3 and 4
• Second judicial district court seat
The Shoreview Press limited its profiles to candidates for county commissioner and state representative running for slots in territories covered by the Press. For more information about candidates, log on to www.presspubs.com.
State representative District 53A (Republican):
- John Kappler, 61, 4280 Brigadoon Drive, Shoreview
Kappler, who was raised in Roseville, earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College and a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University. He teaches mathematics part-time within the business department at Northwestern College. He has served in the Armed Services as a naval officer in technology research and development, and has been vice president of three local corporations. He and his wife Elizabeth have been married for 31 years and have two children, Paul, 29, and Gretchen, 26, both of whom attended Mounds View schools.
He decided to run for the seat because “My life and private sector business experiences have provided me with the wherewithal and motivation for public service. We need to have a Legislature of private citizens seeking to serve, not professional politicians advancing their careers. After many friends urged me to run, I was honored to receive official party endorsement from the record number of people who attended their Republican caucuses and the convention in our district this year.”
He said supporters have told him that he should run because of “my service to country in time of war, my education, my private sector business experience, my efforts locally and statewide to improve the focus of public education, my ability to get along with people, and the firm foundation upon which my values rest.”
He said the three biggest challenges facing District 53A are “resolving the conflict between those who constantly demand more from government and those who seek to protect the just fruits of their labors, maintaining high quality schools without placing even more burdens upon our taxpayers, and developing a free and enduring economic climate that will allow our families and communities to thrive.”
If elected, Kappler’s top two goals are “to protect the inalienable rights with which we have been endowed, and to promote calm common sense and the application of responsible business-like principles amid unreasoned partisan alarmism and special interests.”
- Madelyn “Mady” Reiter, 4279 Highland Drive, Shoreview
Reiter lived in Little Canada until moving to Shoreview in 1985. She attended a now-defunct business college to study accounting and has also earned other college credits. She worked for Burlington Northern Railroad Company for 26 years and is now an insurance agent/agency partner for Maple Leaf Insurance Agency. She and her husband Roger have been married for 42 years and have two adult children.
She said she decided to run for election this year because “there is a better way to govern. As a former Minnesota State Senator, I know that tax increases and increased spending results in more government handling and growth. We must reduce spending. We must not increase taxes and we should reverse the gas tax increase. Other increases recently implemented should be reversed. We must reform funding formulas. All programs should be re-evaluated to ensure they are still needed. Each item mentioned will reduce the cost of government and will return respect to the taxpayers who actually work and pay taxes. No more redistribution of money (wealth) from those who earn money to those who want money, but do not want to work.”
Asked what may make her different as a candidate, she pointed to her experience (including five years on the Shoreview City Council and six years in the Minnesota Senate), her success, her work on several transportation projects, and her tenacity.
Reiter said the biggest challenges facing District 53A are the legislation passed in 2007 and 2008 that increased taxes, the overall increased spending, and certain programs and policies that are hurting Minnesota business and preventing job growth.
Her two top goals if elected: reduce/roll back tax increases and reduce state spending.
Kappler or Reiter will run against Paul Gardner, DFL, in general elections
- Paul Gardner, 40, 890 Dave Avenue, Shoreview
Gardner was Born in Glen Cove, N.Y., and raised in McLean, Va. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grinnell College in Iowa and received his Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Minnesota. He was the executive director of the Recycling Association of Minnesota from 1997 to 2006 until elected state representative.
He and his wife Michelle have been married for 16 years and have two children, 7 and 10, who both attend Mounds View public schools.
Gardner said he decided to run for re-election because: “Our state took a big step forward this year with the passage of the comprehensive transportation bill, but there are still many needs to address. I hope to continue our good work by: 1) Increasing labor skills through effective education and retraining 2) Reducing the per capita cost of health care while maintaining quality and covering all Minnesotans 3) Maintaining and expanding our transportation and telecommunications infrastructure; 4) Preserving the natural resources on which our economic growth depends.”
He said his eagerness in meeting the challenges that face Minnesota in education, health care, infrastructure and the environment may set him apart from the other candidates. The alternative is to do nothing, he said.
For Gardner, the biggest challenges facing District 53A this year are the school district’s need for predictable and consistent funding in order to help all students meet expectations and a plan for local residents that can relieve pressure on health care costs and property taxes. On a more general level, he said, voters are telling him they feel left out of the process because of the involvement of single-issue groups and partisanship. Through his efforts to bring transparency to government and refusing all special-interest campaign funding, he said, he hopes to restore their faith.
If he is re-elected, he said his top two goals would be working with his colleagues to fix education finance issues specific to his districts, including changing levy equalization factors, accounting for declining enrollment and increasing the energy security. He said he’d drive those efforts through his work on the Energy Policy & Finance Committee.
State representative District 54B (Republican):
- Tom Effertz, 4312 Greenhaven Court, Vadnais Heights
A design consultant for DuBois Conservatories, Tom Effertz attended White Bear Lake Area High School and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“I was asked to run this year because as a party we have seen far too many Republicans in name only,” he said. “What makes me different than other candidates is my dedication to conservative ideals.”
Those ideals, he said, include low taxes, quality education, fewer business regulations and controlling immigration.
The current government, he said, is not efficient. He pledges to fight against spending on items such as “pork-barrel” projects and “unreliable and expensive” energy sources.
“I believe in our free market system and cost effective government spending. I am not only looking to keep government spending within its means, but also looking for effective solutions that require the least amount of effort and funding to our problems.
“The government has gotten far too large and wasteful with our taxes. I stand for giving the people the responsibility to run their lives and maintain smarter spending with a focus on necessities.”
High taxes and regulations have weakened the business climate and forced companies out of the state, he said. Illegal immigration, he added, gives companies unfair labor advantages. He’d levy large penalties to companies which employ illegal workers and would more strictly enforce deportation laws.
The public education system, he said, doesn’t adequately prepare students for college. More education funding isn’t the solution, he said. He would improve school performance through competition — merit pay for teachers and tax deductions for private school attendance.
- Julie Johnson, 4354 Rustic Place, Shoreview
A former pharmacist and owner of Blomberg Pharmacy in Falcon Heights, Julie Johnson is executive director and CEO of the Minnesota Pharmacists Association. She holds Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Minnesota. Her husband, Tim Gallagher, is also a pharmacist and they have two children.
“I ... seek to bring my experience in health care as a pharmacist and as a business owner to the group of decision makers at our capitol,” Johnson said. “As we struggle to maintain quality education for our children, affordable health care, and to preserve the environment we enjoy, hard-working people need to gather the facts and make rational decisions for our citizens, our children and our grandchildren.”
She said she has no previous political experience, but her seven years leading the nonprofit Pharmacists Association has given her a first-hand understanding of the legislative process.
Johnson’s priorities include reducing the tax burden for individuals and small businesses. She opposes any new taxes or fees, she said, pointing out the state has some of the highest taxes in the country.
On education, Johnson advocates for more accountability and funding at “an appropriate level, commensurate with performance and outcomes.”
Health care also is a top priority and she said she’ll advocate for a free-market health care system with more consumer choices and provider competition.
“I would be a strong voice for the district in assuring responsible spending of tax dollars, guiding much needed health care reform which insures broader patient choice, transparent operations and sustainable systems of coordinated care,” she said. “We need to stop using tax increases as an answer to a system that needs responsible change and reform.”
Effertz or Johnson will run against Bev Scalze and Paul Gaston in general elections.
- Bev Scalze, 969 Beam Ave., Little Canada
Scalze has served in the House since 2004. She is owner of Hoffman Corner Heating & Air Conditioning with her husband, Bob. They have two grown children. She holds an Associate of Art degree from Century College and College of Visual Arts in St. Paul and has worked for many years as a wildlife artist.
“... I feel that I have the knowledge and experience at the Capitol to work for the suburban interests of my district,” she said. “I have worked across party lines on many issues, and this bipartisan cooperation reflects the district that I represent. I know how to work with others to “get the job done" in the most efficient, effective way possible, assisting local governments in working with state government.”
Prior to her legislative service, she served many years on the Little Canada City Council and was president of the Ramsey County League of Local Governments.
Major issues, she said, include poor health care access, poor transportation and inadequate education funding. Pharmaceutical and insurance interests control health care access and are bankrupting many Minnesotans, she said. The north suburbs are undeserved by transit and have inadequate infrastructure, she also said, touting her work to obtain more Park & Ride lots and obtaining $2 million for the Rice Street Bridge over Highway 36. On education, she said Increased diversity, special needs students and fuel and health insurance costs “has severely impacted the funding that goes to our classrooms.”
If re-elected, she promises to “work in a bipartisan manner to balance the projected budget deficit in this budget year.” She also is working for legislative reforms to prevent last-minute legislative action that doesn’t go through the regular committee process with public testimony and debate.
“We need more order and transparency in our government,” she said.
- Paul Gaston, 3925 Woodview Court, Vadnais Heights
A mediator and arbitrator, Paul Gaston is a two-term Vadnais Heights City Councilman. He holds a Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation administration and adaptive physical education, and a graduate degree in rehabilitation management from the University of Wisconsin; civil court mediator/arbitrator certification from Hamline University Law School and a Mini-Master of Business Administration in small business management from St. Thomas University. He’s married to Judith Gaston, a faculty and staff member at the University of Minnesota.
“I decided to pursue the (54B) office because I understand the needs of our district and because we need a well-prepared, centrist, enthusiastic, respected leader,” Gaston said. “I have a record of stability, collaboration, and outcomes. I am not owned by any big business, like the pharmaceutical industry, and am a can-do individual.”
Gaston, whose council seat is up for election this year, said he has self-imposed a two-term limit and would do the same if elected to the House, “in an effort to model responsible governance, coming in prepared, doing well, and turning over the reins to new leadership.”
Along with his council experience, he touts his experience as a small business owner and service on a number of professional and service organizations.
His priorities include providing affordable health care and housing while “transitioning through the current economic crisis by paying down debt and taking measures to assure citizen, community, and state solvency, as well as a sustainable business environment.”
More equitable transportation funding is another priority,” he said.
“We need a strong advocate for improved transportation in the Northeast Metro including, but not limited to, park and ride facilities; road/related infrastructure expansion and maintenance; efficient bus service; and other new forms of mobility,” he said.
County commissioner District 1 (vote for two):
-Jim Schottmuller, _____ Ski Hill, North Oaks
Schottmuller, 37, has been married to his wife Angie for eight years. They have no children. He attended Roseville public schools, Stillwater High School and Bethel College.
During the campaign, he’s working part-time as a self-employed finish carpenter. Prior to the campaign, he worked in the real estate and property management industry and has several years of experience in management, finance, and sales.
“Between the self-approved 25 percent pay increase and plans to raise taxes (again) even though property tax revenue has increased over 20 percent since 2006, my frustration and disappointment with our current representation reached its limit,” Schottmuller said of his reasons for running. “I decided to run in hopes of restoring fiscal responsibility to the board and providing an improved means for residents to collaborate with their local government.”
In contract to his opponents, Jim commented, "I have 20 years' experience in the business world, not in government where inefficiency is allowed to rein free. Since managing the county's pocketbook is a core commissioner function, my business finance background and education will be beneficial to the board. (My opponents have a police science background, working in the public sector for approximately 30 years.)"
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 1 today, he said :
1. Financial accountability
2. Transferred financial responsibility from state to county
3. Government-run entities competing with private industries
His top goals if elected would be:
1. Repeal the 2007 pay raise
2. Hold the line on property tax increases and improve resident involvement
- Tony Bennett, 5787 Prairie Ridge Drive, Shoreview.
Bennett, 68, is originally from St. Paul and moved to Shoreview in 1975.
Bennett graduated from Johnson High school and went on to attend both the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas where he studied business.
Bennett has been married to his wife Pat for 46 years and they have three adult children, all of whom attended public school in the Mounds View School district. Bennett also has nine grandchildren ranging from 23 to six years old.
Bennett works full-time as Ramsey County Commissioner for District One, having been elected to that post in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
“I enjoy helping people and working with them to solve problems,” he said as to why he is running again. “I have been willing to serve my community in a leadership role, whether as a police officer, a state legislator, or as the current county commissioner for District One.”
“There are many county projects that I hope to see completed in the next few years. It is the projects and the people that made my decision to run for re-election.”
Bennett said what makes him different than other candidates is experience. “I have over 30 years of law enforcement experience, 26 years as a St. Paul Policeman and four years as the U.S. Marshal for the District of Minnesota. I also served 12 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives,” he said. “My tenure on the county board gives me a depth of knowledge about county government, both local and national, and how it operates, which is vital to getting things done.”
Bennett was asked to list the three biggest challenges in District One:
1. Budget constraints
2. The state imposed levy limits on local and county government
3. The state and federal unfunded mandates.
Bennett’s top two goals if re-elected are:
1. To continue to keep the county’s spending in check and to continue to keep any levy increase to a bare minimum; and
2. To continue maintaining the very best services to my constituents. Listening to people and helping them solve their problems is the most important service my office can render.
- Steve Lydon, 769 Parkside Drive, Vadnais Heights
Lydon, 49, is originally from North St. Paul. He earned an associate degree in law enforcement from Inver Hills Community College, a bachelor’s degree in police science from St. Mary’s University and a “mini’ Masters Degree in Public Administration from St. Thomas.
Lydon is divorced with five adult children ages 27, 26, 25, 21 and 20, all of whom attended White Bear Lake public schools.
Lydon works full time as director of special operations with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department.
“I will work to restore fiscal responsibility to the Ramsey County Board, which has significantly increased property taxes in the past few years,” Lydon said as a reason he decided to run. “I was shocked when the County Board voted to increase their own salaries from $63,948 to $80,000.”
Lydon said what may make him different as a candidate is that he has risen up through the ranks of the Department of Corrections holding a variety of positions that have lent themselves to his development as a leader in the community.
“As an associate warden of the Rush City Correctional Facility I oversaw the completion of the facility construction as well as the hiring, training and managing of the staff to operate the facility,” he said.
Lydon also created the Office of Special Investigation and served as the first director and chief law enforcement officer of the State Fugitive Apprehension Unit.
Asked to list the three biggest challenges to his district, he said:
1. “Property tax revenue has increased over 20 percent in the past two years, yet the board plans another 5 percent increase in 2009.”
2. “I will work closely with the Sheriff’s Department to develop crime prevention programs for our youth.”
3. Mortgage foreclosure crisis. “I want to create a mortgage broker fraud investigative unit in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office.”
If elected, Lydon said his top two goals would be:
1. “My first motion will be to rescind the 25 percent salary increase the current board gave themselves.”
2. “I will take immediate steps to harden Ramsey County residents as targets of fraudulent mortgage practices.”
The Press also profiled the following candidates running in general elections:
State representative District 50B:
- Kate Knuth, 2189 Mississippi Circle, New Brighton.
Knuth, 27, was born and raised in New Brighton. She graduated from Irondale High School and holds a B.A. in biology and philosophy from the University of Chicago, studied via a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Oslo and earned an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from Oxford University. She is unmarried and has no children.
She said her main work now is being state representative.
“I am also an environmental educator, mainly at the university level,” she said.
Knuth said she’s running for re-election because she believes Minnesota needs elected leaders who will work with their communities to focus on the right priorities and smart investments, to make sure Minnesota remains safe, economically strong, and a place where individuals and businesses find great opportunity.
“I will continue to lead toward this vision,” she said. “I bring deep roots in the community combined with a perspective based on strong educational and professional experience on some of our most pressing challenges, particularly energy and the environment.”
Asked to list some of the biggest challenges in District 50B today, she said the district is going through several redevelopment projects which promise great opportunities, but also involve challenges. The district also shares many challenges with the wider metro community, she said.
The challenges include making the right investments in education and transportation, she said, to ensure economic viability as well as maintaining the livability of our communities through fair property taxes and investments in local public safety and parks and recreation.
Her top two goals if re-elected:
1. Be a partner in making local redevelopment efforts work well for the community, as well as build a strong, new energy economy through smart policy and investments in education, research, and economic development.
2. Create opportunity locally and statewide that will make the energy system, families and retirees more secure.
- Lori Grivna, 5960 Ridge Creek Road, Shoreview
Grivna, 48, is originally from Coon Rapids. She earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota. She has been married for almost 25 years to her husband, Walter. They have two sons, 22 and 18; both are graduates of Mounds View High School.
Grivna is currently a homemaker and a community volunteer.
“It’s time to replace politicians who represent nothing but special interests with people whose only special interest group is their taxpaying neighbors,” Grivna said, regarding her reasons for running. “I want to move the Legislature in a positive, new direction that better respects taxpayers, ensuring that they are getting value and results for the earned money taken out of their budget for government programs.”
Grivna said what may make her different than other candidates is her background of work experience in the private and public sector, her life experience of running a family household and over 20 years of community involvement.
“I believe that improving the quality of life for our district residents will happen without expansive tax and spend growth in government programs and regulations,” she said. “I listen to residents and business owners in our area who want their suburban voice to be heard at the Capitol.”
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 50B today, she answered:
1. The negative economic impact of rising food, energy, and other costs on residents and business.
2. Inflated property values and rising property taxes on homeowners and small businesses.
3. Land development, housing, and transportation redevelopment and congestion.
Her top two goals if elected to office are:
1. Provide Minnesotans with a balanced budget based on value and results.
2. Create a more competitive economic climate for job providers.
State representative District 53B
- Carol McFarlane, 2237 Southwood Drive, White Bear Lake.
McFarlane, 57, is originally from Kansas. She’s a graduate of White Bear Lake High School and Lakewood State Community College.
She has been married to her husband Pat for 36 years and together they have three grown children and three grandchildren. All have attended or are attending White Bear Lake Schools.
McFarlane is a legislator, vice President and treasurer of Venburg Tire Co. and community volunteer.
She decided to run again because she wants to continue serving her community at the state level. “My first term has given me a broad base of experience and knowledge of the legislative process, and I've developed important relationships statewide,” she said. “This experience, along with my skill as a consensus builder, makes me an effective representative for our district.”
What makes McFarlane different from other candidates is what she calls a passion for and long history of involvement in her local community. “Through our family business and over 25 years of volunteering for community organizations, I have thoroughly learned the needs and aspirations of this community. I have been elected twice to the White Bear Lake School Board and served in leadership positions on numerous boards and committees.”
McFarlane was asked to list the three biggest challenges in District 53B. Her response:
1. Jobs and the economy
2. Education/workforce development
3. Quality of life issues (including health care, transportation (gas prices). “All are interrelated and we need to find common sense, long-term solutions that are sustainable in the future.”
If re-elected McFarlane’s top two goals would be:
1. Continue to listen and be a voice for the community
2. Focus on jobs and the economy. “I will continue working for opportunities to attract, develop and retain businesses to help Minnesota succeed in the competitive global economy,” she said.
- Chris Knopf, 2 Nord Circle, North Oaks
Knopf, 46, is originally from Ohio. He graduated from Michigan State University, Georgetown University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
He has been married to his wife Audrey for 17 years; they have three children, ages 6, 13 and 14. He is a lawyer currently serving as a regional manager for the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit land conservation organization.
When deciding whether to run, Knopf said he asked himself, “What can I do to ensure that my three young children will want to stay in Minnesota and raise their children?
“We are at an important crossroads,” he said. “I am running to address the challenges in education, transportation, the economy, health care, and the environment.”
Knopf said his leadership and vision may separate him from other candidates.
“I will take responsibility to address the challenges that face Minnesota,” he said. “I will bring a fresh perspective and provide common sense bipartisan solutions for improving our roads and bridges, fixing public education, protecting our lakes and natural environment, and addressing the lack of affordable health care.”
Asked to list the three biggest challenges in district 53B today, he answered:
1. Excellence in education and property tax relief. Lack of state funding has forced the White Bear Area School District to rely more heavily on property taxes and has hurt the quality of education.
2. Transportation, jobs and the economy; high prices are pinching families’ budgets and roads and bridges are badly in need of repair.
3. Protecting health and the environment; many people lack affordable health care and we need to do a better job of protecting our lakes and natural environment.
If elected Knopf said his top two goals would be:
1. “I will work to provide fair state funding for our local schools and make college education more affordable.”
2. “I will support policies to create good jobs based on a well-educated workforce, a healthy and clean environment, and sound transportation infrastructure.”
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